Water-softening apparatus.



No. 784,046. PATENTED MAR. 7, 1905. S. H. & P. E. HODGKIN.

WATER SOFTENING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED I'EB.17,1v904.

No. rsaoae.

In STATES Patented March 7, 1905.

PATENT S'lANLEY HOWARD HODGKIN ANl) PHILIP ELIU'I IIOIXIKIN, ()FREADING, ENG LA N1).

WATER-$OFTENING AFPAWATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 784,046, dated March"7, 1905.

Application filed February 17, 1904- Serial No. 193,988.

To all whom (it 'III/(l/ I/ cancer/t:

Be it known that we, STANLEY How/m1) HoDeKIN and PHILIP ELIo'rI-IoDGKIN, subjects of the King of Great Britain and Ireland,

residing at Reading, in the county of Berks,

England, have invented Improvements in or Relating to l VatewSofteningApparatus, of which the following is a specilication.

This invention consists in various improvements in or relating towater-softening apparatus of the kind in which the hard water to besoftened is discharged into a mixing vessel in definite quantities bymeans of an automatic water-flushingdevice, comprising a tank providedwith a water-inlet pipe with cock, a

fixed siphon, and a float that rises and falls with the level of thewater admitted to and discharged from the tank and in which a chemicalreagent, such as lime-water, is mixed in a given proportion with thehard water for softening the same. l/Vater-softening apparatus of thekind referred to is described in the specification of former LettersPatent No. 73 .902, dated June 23, 1903, granted to one of us -via, thesaid Stanley H. Hodgkin.

The present invention has for object to enable the quantity of waterdischarged at each flushing operation to be maintained approximatelyconstant notwithstanding variations in the rate at which the apparatusis worked. It also has for object to enable the proportions of hardwater and chemical reagent to be made and maintained in a better andmore exact manner than heretofore usual under all conditions of working.

The invention consists for these purposes in various novel features ofconstruction and in combinations and arrangements of parts, all ashereinafter more tiarticularlydescribed, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying illustrative drawings,

Figure 1 shows, partly in vertical section and partly in side elevationand more or less diagrammatically, one construction of Water-softeningapparatus embodying the present invention. Fig. 2 shows in verticalsection a modified arrangement of means for controlling the supply ofhard water to the water-flushing apparatus, the siphon and float beingfor the sake of clearness removed.

a, is a flushing-tank arranged above a vessel 5, containing a chemicalreagent, such as limewater, cbeing a mixing vessel, and (la settlingtankhaving a (,lisehargr'emipe (Z. The flushing-tank a is provided with apipe 1;, having a. controlling-valve and through which the hard water tobe softened is supplied, with an automatic water-flushing device orsiphon, comprising a'statiomtry tube f, closed at the top and littingover a discharge-pipe the lower end of which is arranged to terminateabove the mixing vessel (3, and with a float /t. The upper part of thevessel bis connected by a tube I: to the upper part of the mixing vesselc, which is formed by; providing the tank (Z with a depending partitionm.

The above-mentioned parts are constructed and arranged substantially asshown in and described with reference to Fig. l of the said formerspecification; but they may be con-- structed and arranged in other waysto form water-softening zmparatus of the kind mentioned and to which thepresent invention is to be applied.

In water-softening apparatus according to this invention provided withan automatic water-flushing device of the kind referred to there is usedin connection with a cock or valve for admitting water to theflushingtank means whereby such cook or valve will be automaticallyclosed during the disclnirge of water from the tank through the siphon,so that the same amount of water will be dis charged at each flushingoperation whether the apparatus is being worked quickly or slowly, therate of working being controlled, as usual, by a separate valve, such asthe valve e on the water-supply pipe (2. For this purpose there is used,according to the arrangement shown in Figs. 1 and 2, a valve 0 forexample, an equilibrium-valve -that is connected, as through a link s,to one arm of a lever a, the other arm of which is weighted at 7) andacts normally to openand hold open the valve. Connected to the valve andlover is a small receptacle 1', that is suspended above the mixingvessel 0 of the apparatus and below the outlet end of thewater-discharge pipe g and has one or more discharge-openings it throughits bottom. The arrangement is such that at each flushing operationwater will enter the receptacle t, so as to weight the same and cause itto overcome the action of the weighted arm of the lever 92 and close thevalve 0 until after the flushing action is completed and the said wateror the greater portion of it has escaped from the receptacle 6,whereupon the weighted arm of the lever will act to again open the valveand cause a further quantity of water to be admitted to theflushing-tank a. In this way, whether the main regulating-cock e be setto cause the automatic flushing device to act quickly or slowly, thesame amount of hard water will be discharged from the tank a into themixing vessel 0 at each flushing operation.

Fig. 2 shows another arrangement for automatically cutting off thesupply of hard water to the flushing-tank during the discharge of watertherefrom. In this case the admission of water to the flushing-tank a iscontrolled by a lever 72, that is fixed at 0 to the rotary plug of awater-inlet cock 0. One arm of this lever is weighted, as shown at p,and acts when unrestrained to open the plug of the cock 0. The other armof the lever carries an open-topped receptacle q, that is provided witha discharge-opening 7' of. regulated size in its bottom and is soarranged, as shown, that it will be charged with water when the water inthe tank a rises to such a level as to start the siphon. The arrangementis such that during the discharge of the water from the flushing-tank athrough the siphon f g the water in the receptacle (1 will by reason ofits weight move the plug into the closed position and hold it closeduntil the water admitted to such receptacle has escaped through theopening 1, which is made of such a size that the water, or the greaterportion of it, will have escaped from the receptacle at about the sametime as the discharge of the water from the tank a by the siphon iscompleted, whereupon the weighted arm of the lever a will overcome theweight of the empty or nearly empty receptacle and open the cock 0, soas to admit a further supply of hard water to the tank.

According to one construction definite quantities of lime-water arecaused to pass to the mixing vessel of the water-softening apparatus andbecome mixed with the hard water ad mitted thereto by causing a definitequantity of hard Water to pass from the flushing-tank to the lower endof the lime-water vessel at each flushing operation, and so displace acorresponding quantity of lime-water from the upper part of the vesseland cause it to overflow into the mixing vessel. In the arrangementshown for this purpose in Fig. 1 the flushing-tank a has a verticalpartition e, that serves to form in conjunction with the wall of thetank a supplementary compartmentoc, the top edge w of the partition 0;being arranged at such a height that hard water admitted to theflushing-tank will upon rising sufliciently overflow such edge and fillthe supplementary compartment w before attaining such a level as tostart the siphon and upon afterward falling below such edge will leavethe said compartment charged to agiven level that will be constant foreach charging operation. Suspended in the compartment 00 is a movablesiphon 1, the upper end of which is carried by a chain 2 and aprojecting arm 2 from the float it in the flushing-tank a and the longerleg of which in the example works vertically through a suitablestufling-box or joint 3 into a pipe at, that extends through the bottomof the compartmentw: and discharges into the lower end of the lime-watervessel 7). As will be seen, the arrangement is such that during thecharging of the flushing-tan k a and the rising of the float 7L thereinthemovable siphon 1 will be grad ually raised, so as to prevent itstarting; but upon the float falling during the discharge of theflushing-tank it will be lowered to a definite depth in the water in thecompartment w, so as to start in action and deliver an exact quantity ofwater to the lower end of the lime-water vessel 0, whereby acorresponding quantity of lime-water will be displaced from the upperpart of such vessel and caused to flow through the pipe Z; into themixing vessel 0, whereit will become mixed with the hard water escapingfrom the pipe g.

For stirring or agitating the lime in the lower part of the lime-watervessel in a more effective manner than heretofore usual, so as tofacilitate the ready formation of a saturated solution of lime-water,the said vessel is provided according to this invention with avertically-movable stirring or agitating device, and there is provided,in connection with the vertically-movable float of automaticwaterflushing apparatus of the kind hereinbefore referred tolocatedabove the said vessel, means whereby the stirring or agitating devicecan be engaged and raised by the float and afterward released, so thatit can fall suddenly into the lime and effectually break up and agitatethe same after each operation of the flushing apparatus. In thearrangement shown for this purpose in Fig. 1 the agitatingdevice comprises a plate 16, provided with depending teeth 17 and carried by a rod18, that works through a fixed guide 19 in the lime-water vessel 6, andis provided at its upper end with a head 20, that serves as a hook. 21is a hook for engaging the head 20. It is carried by the weighted arm ofa lever 22, pivoted to the rod 5, which is connected, through arectangular frame 23, to the top of the float it. 2 1 is a bar fixedacross the vessel 5, so as to be in the path of the unweighted arm ofthe lever 22. The arrangement is such that when the rod 5 descends thehook 21 will be caused by the action of the weighted arm oi the lever 22to engage the under side of the head 20 on the rod 18, so that upon therod 5 rising the rod 18, with stirring device 16 17, will be lifteduntil by the action of the cross-bar 2 1 on the unweighted arm of thelever 22 the hook 21 is disengaged from the head 20, whereupon thestirring device will fall suddenly into the lime 25 in the lower part ofthe vessel 7) and break up and agitate the same for the purposehereinbefore mentioned. The rod 18 may be adapted, as by providing itwith vanes 18, to be partly rotated by the water when being raised andlowered.

As will be obvious, the details of construction adopted in carrying outthe invention can be variously modified. Also in lieu of the movablesiphon 1 other water discharging means may be provided for effecting thedischarge of water from the compartment 0/).

YVhat we claim is- 1. ater-softening apparatus comprising a mixingvessel, an automatic intermittent water-liushing apparatus arranged todischarge into said mixing vessel, a liquid-reagent tank arranged todischarge into said mixing vessel, means for discharging liquid reagentat each operation of the flushing apparatus, a pipe for admitting waterto said flushing apparatus, a

valve for controlling the flow of water from said pipe. and meansadapted to automatically close said valve during the discharge of waterfrom said flushing apparatus.

2. \lVater-softening apparatus comprising a mixing vessel, an automaticintermittent water-flushing apparatus arranged to discharge into saidmixing vessel, a liquid-reagent tank arranged to discharge into saidmixing vessel, means for discharging liquid reagent at each operation ofthe flushing apparatus, a pipe for admitting water to said flushingapparatus and provided with a main regulating-valve, a secarranged todischarge into said mixing vessel,

means for discharging liquid reagent at each operation of the flushingapparatus, a pipe for admitting water to said flushing apparatus, avalve for controlling the flow of water from said pipe, a receptacleconnected to said valve and provided with a small discharge-outlet, saidreceptacle being arranged to be charged with water from said flushingapparatus and to close the valve during the discharge of water from theapparatus, and means for automatically reopening said valve after theescape of water from said receptacle.

4. W alter-softening apparatus comprising a mixing vessel, an automaticintermittent water-flushing apparatus arranged to discharge into saidmixing vessel, a liquid-reagent tank arranged to discharge into saidmixing vessel, means for discharging liquid reagent at each operation ofthe flushingapparatus, a pipe for admitting water to said flushingapparatus and provided with a main regulating-valve, asceond valve forcontrolling the How of water from said pipe, a lever connected to thesecond valve, a receptacle connected to the lever, said receptaclehaving a water-discharge outlet and arranged to be charged with waterfrom the flushing apparatus and thereby to close the second valve duringthe discharge of water from the flushing apparatus, and means forautomatically returning the receptacle and lever to their originalpositions and reopening the second valve after escape of water from thereceptacle. 1

5. ater-softening apparatus comprising a mixing vessel, an automaticintermittent water-flushing apparatus arranged to discharge into saidmixing vessel, a liquid-reagent tank arranged to discharge into saidmixing vessel, means'lor discharging liquid reagent at each operation ofthe flushing apparatus, a pipe for admitting water to said 'l'l ushingapparatus and provided with a main regulating-valve, a second valve forcontrolling the flow of water into said mixing vessel, a liquid-reagenttank arranged to discharge into said mixing vessel, meansfor-discharging liquid reagent at each operation of the flushingapparatus, a pipe for admitting water to said flushing apparatus andprovided with a main regulating-valve, asec ond valve for controllingthe flow of water from said pipe, a lever connected to the second valve,a weight connected to one end of said lever and acting normally to holdthe second valve open, and a receptacle with per'lorated bottomconnected to theother end of said lever and arranged to be charged withwater from said flushing apparatus, substantially as described.

7. Water-softening apparatus comprising an automatic water-flushingapparatus provided with a float, a reagent vessel, a mixing IIO IIS

vessel into which water and reagent are intermittently discharged fromsaid flushing apparatus and reagent vessel respectively, a chamberconnected to the reagent vessel and adapted to be charged to apredetermined height with Water from the flushing apparatus, and meanscontrolled from said float and adapted to cause a predetermined quantityof water to pass from said chamber to said reagent vessel at eachoperation of the flushing apparatus for the purpose set forth.

8. Water-softening apparatus comprising an automatic water-flushingapparatus provided with a float, a reagent vessel, a mixing vessel intowhich water and reagent are intermittently discharged from said flushingapparatus and reagent vesselrespectively, a chamber connected to thereagent vessel and adapted to he charged to a predetermined height withwater from the flushing apparatus only after the same has been chargedto a given height with water and to be left charged with a definitequantity of water after the level of that in the flushing apparatus hasfallen below that in the chamber, and means controlled from said floatand adapted to cause a predetermined quantity of water to pass from saidchamber to said reagent vessel at each operation of the flushingapparatus for the purpose set forth.

9. ater-softening apparatus comprising an automatic water-flushingapparatus provided with a float, a reagent vessel, a mixing vessel intowhich water and reagent are intermittently discharged from said flushingapparatus and reagent vessel respectively, a chamber connected to thereagent vessel and adapted to be charged to a predetermined height withwater from the flushing apparatus only after the same has been chargedto a given height with water and to be left charged with a definitequantity of water after the level of that in the flushing apparatus hasfallen below that in the chamber, and water-discharging means located insaid chamber and controlled from said float and whereby a determinedquantity of water will be caused to pass from said chamber to saidreagent vessel at each operation of the flushing apparatus.

10. ater-softening apparatus comprising an automatic water-flushing tankprovided with a float, a lime-water vessel, a mixing vessel into whichhard water is discharged from the flushing-tank and lime-water from theupper portion of said lime-water vessel, said flushing-tank beingconstructed with main and supplementary compartments of which the latteris arranged to be filled with a deflnite quantity of water from theformer when the level of the water therein rises sufficiently high andafterward falls, and a movable waterdischarging device that is arrangedin the supplementary compartment, is connected to the float in the maincompartment, and is adapted to cause a definite quantity of water to bedischarged from the supplementary compartment into the lower portion ofthe lime-water vessel, at each operation of the flushing apparatus.

11. In water-softening apparatus of the kind herein referred to, thecombination with a lime-water vessel and a mixing vessel, of aflushing-tank arranged at a higher level than the said vessels andprovided internally with a stationary siphon, a movable float, and apartition arranged to divide the interiorof the tank into a maincompartment and a supplementary compartment, the latter of which isarranged to be charged with water from the main compartment over the topedge of said partition, a movable siphon suspended in the supplementarycompartment from said float, and a pipe connecting said movable siphonto the lower portion of the lime-water vessel, the movable siphon beingarranged to come into action only after the level of the water in themain compartment has fallen below the top edge of the partition.

12. ater-softening apparatus comprising 1 a mixing vessel, an automaticintermittent water-flushing apparatus arranged to discharge Water intosaid mixing vessel at each flushing operation, a liquid-reagent tankarranged to discharge into said mixing vessel, means for supplying waterto said flushing apparatus, means adapted to cause definite quantitiesof liquid reagent to flow 'into said mixing vessel at each operation ofthe flushing apparatus, and means adapted to automatically cut olf thesupply of water to the flushing apparatus during the discharge of watertherefrom.

13. ater-softening apparatus comprising a mixing vessel, an automaticintermittent water-flushing apparatus arranged to discharge water intosaid mixing vessel at each flushing operation, a liquid-reagent tankarranged to discharge into said mixing vessel, means for supplying waterto said flushing apparatus, means adapted to cause a definite quantityof water to flow from the flushing apparatus at each operation thereof,into the liquid-reagent tank, and means adapted to automatically cut offthe supply of water to the flushing apparatus during the discharge ofwater therefrom into the mixing vessel.

14. VVater-softening apparatuscomprising an automatic water-flushingtank provided with a float, a lime-water vessel, a mixing vessel intowhich hard water is discharged from the flushing-tank and lime-waterfrom the upper portion of said lime-water vessel, said flushing-tankbeing constructed with main and supplementary compartments of which thelatter is arranged to be filled with a definite quantity of water fromthe former when the level of the water therein rises sufliciently highand afterward falls, a water-pipe with valve for controlling the supplyof water to the main compartment of the flushing-tank, means adapted toautomatically close said valve during the discharge of Water from theflushing-tank, and a movable siphon that is supported in thesupplementary compartment,

flushing apparatus.

Signed at Reading, in the county of Berks, England, this 1st day ofFebruary, 1904;.

STANLEY HOWARD HODGKIN.

l l l is connected to the float in the main compart- PHILIP ELIOTHODGKIN. ,ment, and is adapted to discharge a definite I Witnesses:

quantity of Water from the supplementary compartment into the lowerportion of the JOHN WV MARTIN, FREDK. N. MAR'IIN.

lime-Water vessel at each operation of the IO

